Cameras follow cast of ‘Your Husband Is Cheating on Us’
Players in a play: There’s nothing quite like live theater, but getting a play from the page to the stage is no easy feat. Audiences might be surprised to learn how much drama goes on behind the scenes, and a new TV series is about to pull back the curtain on a major stage production.
Cameras follow acclaimed producer JD Lawrence as he launches his newest show in “Your Husband Is Cheating on Us,” premiering Sunday, April 1, on Bravo. His play, also titled “Your Husband Is Cheating on Us,” was based on his original song of the same name. The new reality TV program shines a spotlight on the urban theater experience, which has become a popular part of the black entertainment scene in the U.S.
Over the course of the past several years, talented performers from the worlds of film, TV, theater, R&B, gospel and pop have joined forces to wow audiences at major venues across the nation, and Lawrence has assembled an impressive cast for his latest play. With more than 20 major productions under his belt, Lawrence has earned a reputation as the “King of Dramedy,” and he’s recruited top-tier talent to star in “Your Husband Is Cheating on Us.” R&B star Ginuwine (“Parks and Recreation”) plays a player, the show’s leading man, who stars opposite Broadway performer D’atra Hicks (“Madea’s Family Re- union,” 2002). Tondy Gallant (“Soul Kittens Cabaret,” 2011) portrays the show’s ingenue, while Lia Grant (“Get Thee Behind Me,” 2010) is the leading lady. Aussie performer Kristen Plati and Jermaine Sellers (“American Idol”) are understudies.
They have just eight weeks to learn their lines, songs and choreography before the show makes its debut, so Lawrence brings them all together to live under the same roof while they rehearse. The director’s unorthodox creative methods lead to some real-life drama. Viewers won’t want to miss the premiere of “Your Husband Is Cheating on Us,” airing Sunday, April 1, on Bravo.
Knock, knock: Home renovation and interior design television shows are everywhere these days, but that wasn’t always the case. In 2000, TLC debuted a series that would change the television landscape for years to come: “Trading Spaces.”
Host Paige Davis (“Home Made Simple”) returns to welcome neighbors into each other’s houses in the reboot of “Trading Spaces,” premiering Saturday, April 7, on TLC. Working in pairs, the neighbors team up with designers to reimagine a space and get to work with the help of a carpenter. In the first few seasons of the original series, the participants were given just $1,000 to complete the transformations, but the new version features a $2,000 budget. While they have no say in what happens to their own home, participants can influence what happens in their neighbors’ houses. They won’t get to see their own space until the big reveal on the final day.
It was a formula that inspired millions of viewers to revamp their spaces, and Davis recalled the impact of the original series when speaking to the Television Critics Association in January.
“It made interior design accessible to middle America, instead of [just] the upper echelon of society,” Davis explained. “The show has always been about being resourceful, creativity, doing the most for the least amount of money, being accessible.”
Fans are hoping the magic will continue in the reboot, and TLC is relying on a mix of old and new talent to make it happen. Returning designers include fan favorites Doug Wilson, Vern Yip, Genevieve Gorder, Frank Bielec, Hildi Santo-Tomas and Laurie Smith, along with Ty Pennington and Carter Oosterhouse, who both started out in the original series as carpenters. New design and carpentry experts include Brett Tutor, Joanie Dodds, John Gidding, Kahi Lee and Sabrina Soto.
Once again, the designers and homeowners will work together to transform rooms on a limited budget as cameras capture the fun every step of the way. Check out the new “Trading Spaces,” premiering Saturday, April 7, on TLC.